Nature always has an answer. Even when it comes to choosing a descaler. Here's why opting for cleaning products that contain citric acid is the better choice.
Cleaning products are subject to their fair share of prejudice too. For instance, when it comes to sanitising and removing every trace of limescale from the bathtub, the shower screen or the bathroom tap, far too many people still prefer to reach for a chemical descaler, believing it to be more effective than a natural one, rather than trying cleaning products based on… lemon juice. And yet, citric acid truly has excellent properties. But how does it work?
First, let's define what limescale actually is: it is a sedimentary rock based on calcite mineral that finds its way into our homes – and therefore "sticks" to the surfaces of our bathroom fittings – because it is dissolved, in microscopic quantities, in the water that flows through our pipes. It can form actual encrustations that are difficult to remove, which, as well as being unsightly, can damage our bathroom (or kitchen) and require the intervention of a plumber. This is why acting promptly and with the right products is essential.
It is a compound found in all citrus fruits, with the lemon leading the way. Entirely natural (even though in chemical descalers it may be present in its "synthetic" form, alongside other petroleum-derived substances), it can be a genuinely effective aid for household cleaning. Its acidic pH encourages the natural dissolving of limescale and the removal of encrustations from all surfaces, without causing pollution. And unlike vinegar, it leaves no unpleasant odours.
If you are willing to put in the effort and are a DIY enthusiast, you can buy pure citric acid in granule form at a pharmacy, or at specialist natural product shops or herbalists. The most practical and quick way to make use of its descaling properties, however, is undoubtedly to buy a good cleaning product that contains it: there are excellent ones on the market – available on the shelves of large supermarkets too – that are certified, completely plant-based and 100% eco-friendly. For cleaning in a natural and ecological way.